Sound amplifier



' 1,628,010 May 1927' c. w. TAYLOR SOUND AMPLIFIER Filed April 22, 1925 Patented May 1 0, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,628,010 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. TAYLOR, 0F SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, ASSIGNOR T0 EMILIUS C. I. HART- MANN AND DAVID NEFF, BOTH OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

SOUND AMPLIFIER.

Application as April 22, 1925. Serial No. 25,065.

. This invention relates to a sound arnplifier,

First, be highly eflicient and capable of.

producing maximum sound amplification.

Second, be compact in form so as to occupy a minimum space.

Third, be inconspicuous, though ornamental inappearance. 7

Fourth, be reasonable in cost.

I attain these objects by means of a plurality of'hollow truncated conical bodies or receptacles of gradually increasing sizes constituting frustro-conical sections, which are placed one within the other in alternating inverse order, that is to say, the smallest or initial frustro-conical body is placed with its flarin larger end within the next larger or secon ary frustro 'conical body in proximity to the smaller end of the latter. The second frustro-conical body is then placed with its larger end inside the nextlarger frustro-conical body and in proximity to the smaller end of the latter, and 'so on, the final frustro-conical section constituting the bell. The walls of the successive frustoconical. bodies are so placed that the bodies themselves shall not be in contact. but

I that there shall be an annular open space helargest conical section, where they may en counter a directing surface which causes the sound waves to be projected into space in all directions from the axis of the instrument.

The advantages secured by this method of construction are that: (a) an amplifying horn of considerable length can be substantiall cut up into sections, and the sections be virtually nestcdto occupy very much lessv space and length than the original horn; Z)) the successive amplifying sectlons, being 111- dependent of each other, have each proical section 32 whose fiarin gressively increasing amplifying efiects upon the sound waves emerging from the next preceding sections.

The features of this invention for which the protection of Letters Patent is desired, are collectively grouped in the claims forming the conclusion of this specification.

In the drawing, which illustrates merely one embodiment of this invention,

Fig. 1. represents a vertical center section;

Fig. 2 an elevation, viewed in the direction of either of the arrows 2, in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, a bottom. plan view of the bell portion ofthe device,taken se arately, and

Fig. 4, a to plan view of t e secondary or stand portion thereof, also taken separately.

'lhroughout' the drawing, similar parts are designated by similar reference numerals.

Referring to the drawing, 20 represents the stand portion Having the outstanding flange 21 formin a foot. Projecting upwardly from the foot is the secondary frusto-conical hollow section or cup 24, which is inverted, and at its bottom has the cone 25, which is preferably arranged substantially concentric with the axis of the cup. and whose outer surface is joined to the conical interior surface of the cup" by means of the curved transition surface 26.

Spaced apartboth upwardly and outwardly from the upper edge 27 of the cup, is the bell 28. In general, the bell 28 also has the form of the frustrum of a cone, this cone surrounding the conical cup 24, as shown in Fig. l. The bell 28 is supported upon the upper rim of the cup 24, by means of the le s 29, whoseupper portions 30 arev firmly im iedded in the solid upper base portion 3l of the bell. Extending downwardly from the base 31 is the initial frusto-conbase rim is spaced apart from the interior surface of the conical cup 24 as shown in Fig. 1. The interior surface of thewall of bell 28 may consist of the portions 33 and 34, which make a slight angle with each other vertically. The portion 33 may be joined to the outer wall surface of the cone 32 by means of the transition curved surface 35.

The bell 28 is surmounted by the hollow cap 36 which is fitted tightly thereto, along the contacting surfaces 37. The cap 36 prorides a chamber 38 in which may be placed j in the cone 32.

In operation, the sound waves from thereceiver pass downwardly through the throat 41 as indicated by the arrows, through they round the transition surface 35.

base structure may ,be connected to the bell structure by means of the wires 45, which the interior of the, cone 32, and strike the surface of the cone 25, being thereby deflected around the transition curved portion 26, and so reversed in direct on to pass up-' wardly through the interior. of the cone 24, after which the sound waves are again deflected and reversed by the surface 35 and are caused to pass downwardly around the transition curved portion 42, and out into the surroundingspace as indicated by the arrows. Holes 43 may be provided in the upper base of the bell 28 for the purpose of conducting away any sound waves that may be projected thereinto from the receiver 39. These latter sound waves flow intoand join the main volume of sound waves as The pass through each structure and are fitted tightly into the same. 24, bell structure 28 and the cap 36 may all be made of material having desirable tonal qualities, such as wood 0r hard rubber.

It is desirable that the elements of the conical surface 34 and the elements of the surfaces of cones 24 and 32 shall all make angles equal to each other with the'common axis of the same. Also, it is desirable that the circuitous passage for the sound waves, formed between the opposing walls of the successive frusto-conical sections, shall be progressively of uniformly increasing area of cross-section from the throat to the bell, as nearly as possible.

The wire legs 29 with feet 50 resting on the rim 27 .of the'cup, and the fastening wires 45, provide great flexibility between sections 32, 24 and 34, by means of which the principles of resonance are given every latitude to assert themselves. This causes section 24 to strengthenthe sound produced by the vibration of section 32, and again, causes section 34 to strengthen the sound produced by the vibration of section 24.

N o matter how many sections are used, the outer sections all operate-to strengthen the sound caused by the vibrations of the next inner sections provided the sound originates at the innermost section.

While a specific embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described, it is to be clearly understood that all the detailed parts thereof, ma or may not. be shown in the preferred forms, and further, that the preferred forms may be varied from The cup structure time to time, as the. development of this invention and the arts to which it appertains, progress. Therefore, that which forms an essential and characteristic part of this invention will be readily discernible from the claims in which its spirit is generalized,

Having fully described myinyention, what I claim-is: A

'1. A sound amplifier comprising a plurality of hollow bodies of gradually increasing sizes relatively to each other, placed one within the other in alternating reverse order and spaced apart from each other to define a circuitous passage for sound waves. and flexible connections between successive ones of the said bodies.

2. A sound amplifier, comprising a stand portion, a secondary hollow frusto-conical section extending upwardly therefrom, a sound deflector in the bottom of said i'rustoconical section, an initial frusto-conical section projecting inwardly of the said secondary section, a final frusto-conical section surrounding the said secondary section in spaced relation thereto, means for projecting sound waves into the said initial conical section, and means for flexibly supporting the initial and final said sections relatively to the said secondary section. I

3. A sound amplifier comprising a final frusto-conical section having an upper base, ail-initial frusto-conical section depending inwardly from thejsaid base in spaced relation to the said final section; a stand having an upwardly extending frusto-conical section projecting into the space between the said initial and final frusto-conical sections, and means for flexibly supporting the initial and final said sections relatively to said stand.

4. A sound amplifier comprising a stand, a cup projecting upwardly therefrom, a sound deflector in the bottom of the said cup, an initial hollow sound-conducting body above the said deflector and spaced apart therefrom; a bell surrounding the said cup in spaced relation thereto, a second sound deflector leading to the said bell, said second deflector located above the rim of the said cup, and a flexible connection between the said bell and the said stand.

5. A sound amplifier comprising aninitial hollow section, a final bell section surronndhereto.

CHARLES \V. TAYLOR. 

